Information Hub

SEND at St Andrew’s

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School as a community reflects and celebrates the diversity of Christ’s kingdom where the able and gifted can learn from and with, those with disabilities or learning difficulties of whatever form.

Our commitment is to the needs of every child and this policy addresses our responsibility for those children with special educational needs whether long or short term, related to physical, mental, emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning needs.

We aim to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, and to develop an environment where all children can achieve their best, become confident individuals living fulfilling lives and feel safe.

We believe that educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all learners.

All teachers are teachers of children who have special educational needs and therefore fulfil their responsibility by meeting the needs of all children through:

• Differentiating the curriculum and varying their teaching styles in order to meet the variety of needs that children display.
• Assessing needs in conjunction with the SENCo, parents and pupils.
• Providing suitable materials which will help the children in their care to consolidate, practice and extend their skills.
• Providing the necessary time for these activities, either individually or in small groups, during the school day.

Intent

At St Andrew’s C of E Primary School, we believe in equality of opportunity for all children. We recognise that there are children within our school who may have difficulty with their learning and / or who have a disability, which prevents or hinders them from accessing the education routinely provided for children of their age group.

We also recognise that some children simply learn in a different way and may have specific strengths and weaknesses which affect the way in which they learn. We strive to plan and deliver the curriculum in a varied and dynamic way, ensuring that we cater for children who have a range of learning styles and preferences. We are a fully inclusive school and aim to meet the needs of all learners within the mainstream classroom.

Implementation

Every teacher is a teacher of SEND. As such, inclusion is a thread that runs through every area of the school enhanced by collaboration between senior leaders, teachers, support staff, external agencies, parents and most importantly, the child.  At St Andrew’s C of E Primary School, pupils with SEND will:

• Be included in all aspects of the school day.
• Be provided with quality first teaching, differentiated to their needs.
• Be respected and their contributions valued and acknowledged.

Impact

As a result:

• Children at St Andrew’s C of E Primary School feel happy, safe and respected.
• Behaviour at is exemplary and diversity is celebrated.
• Children demonstrate high levels of engagement in activities, developing their speaking, listening and social skills.
• Children with SEND make good progress from their starting points due to the use of resources and small group intervention which meets the needs of the pupils.
• On leaving school, children with SEND have developed good independence and life skills.

Mr M R Wainford, SENCo

Supporting Mental Health & Wellbeing at St Andrew’s

At St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School our aim is to care for and develop the whole child educationally, emotionally, spiritually, morally and physically. As well as caring for their education we also care for their mental health and wellbeing and feel that it is essential to provide children with information to enable them to make life long, well informed decisions about their diet and health.

What do we do at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School to support children’s emotional well-being and mental health?

• St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School is committed to creating a happy, caring and supportive environment. As well as a learning environment, the school ensures there is a positive, supportive and inclusive ethos where children can thrive and achieve their personal best.
• Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) is a central to the curriculum across the whole school.  PSHE assists pupils to cope with the changes at puberty, introduces them to a wider world, manage transitions and enables them to make an active contribution to their communities.  The concepts covered in PSHE include identity, managing feelings and emotions, relationships, change, resilience and being healthy, which includes physical, emotional and social well-being.
• St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School offers Nurture Provision. Children who experience domestic violence, bereavement, anxiety and any other life experiences that may affect their emotional well-being are identified and supported in regular 1:1 or small group nurture support. The school supports the child in their specific needs, meaning the pupil is at the heart of the school focus and their learning is understood developmentally.
• Within the National Curriculum, every child has a minimum of two hours of physical education each week.
• We promote healthy eating throughout the school. We have children’s garden areas with green house, potting shed and raised growing beds. One area is used by children in the Early Years and the other as part of the curriculum in KS1. Parent volunteers support children working in the garden. The children grow a variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs and when harvested use these in cooking activities.
• We are looking to include World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week in the school calendar and plan activities for the whole school community.
• As a school, we have and continue to access outside help and support for pupils when required.  We are supported by the Mid Tendring Education Partnership (MTEP) in providing this provision (access their website here).